'We should be thankful to the authors for having undertaken this project. The second edition, like the first one, is a real masterpiece.' CERN Courier
Preface; List of tables; Notation; 1. Introduction; Part I. General Methods: 2. Differential geometry without a metric; 3. Some topics in Riemannian geometry; 4. The Petrov classification; 5. Classification of the Ricci tensor and the energy-movement tensor; 6. Vector fields; 7. The Newman–Penrose and related formalisms; 8. Continuous groups of transformations; isometry and homothety groups; 9. Invariants and the characterization of geometrics; 10. Generation techniques; Part II. Solutions with Groups of Motions: 11. Classification of solutions with isometries or homotheties; 12. Homogeneous space-times; 13. Hypersurface-homogeneous space-times; 14. Spatially-homogeneous perfect fluid cosmologies; 15. Groups G3 on non-null orbits V2. Spherical and plane symmetry; 16. Spherically-symmetric perfect fluid solutions; 17. Groups G2 and G1 on non-null orbits; 18. Stationary gravitational fields; 19. Stationary axisymmetric fields: basic concepts and field equations; 20. Stationary axisymmetiric vacuum solutions; 21. Non-empty stationary axisymmetric solutions; 22. Groups G2I on spacelike orbits: cylindrical symmetry; 23. Inhomogeneous perfect fluid solutions with symmetry; 24. Groups on null orbits. Plane waves; 25. Collision of plane waves; Part III. Algebraically Special Solutions: 26. The various classes of algebraically special solutions. Some algebraically general solutions; 27. The line element for metrics with κ=σ=0=R11=R14=R44, Θ+iω≠0; 28. Robinson–Trautman solutions; 29. Twisting vacuum solutions; 30. Twisting Einstein–Maxwell and pure radiation fields; 31. Non-diverging solutions (Kundt's class); 32. Kerr–Schild metrics; 33. Algebraically special perfect fluid solutions; Part IV. Special Methods: 34. Applications of generation techniques to general relativity; 35. Special vector and tensor fields; 36. Solutions with special subspaces; 37. Local isometric embedding of four-dimensional Riemannian manifolds; Part V. Tables: 38. The interconnections between the main classification schemes; References; Index.